A torpedo fired by a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the south coast of Sri Lanka, marking a significant escalation in the conflict beyond the Middle East. The frigate, the Iris Dena, was returning from a naval exercise organised by India in the Bay of Bengal when it was struck in international waters, killing at least 87 Iranian sailors.
The attack was confirmed by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said it was carried out late on Tuesday night. "An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters," Hegseth said. "It was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death – the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II." The Pentagon released black-and-white footage of a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo striking the vessel.
Sri Lankan officials reported receiving a distress call from the Iris Dena at 5.08am on Wednesday. Rescue efforts saved 32 people from the ship, which was believed to have been carrying 180 crew, while 87 bodies were recovered. The frigate had already sunk by the time rescue boats arrived, leaving only an oil slick. It was located 44 nautical miles off Galle, outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters but within its economic zone.
The sinking came as US-Israeli air strikes on Iran continued for a fifth day, with Washington warning of strikes on "deeper" targets. Turkey said Nato air defences had intercepted an Iranian missile heading toward its airspace, and the UN reported at least 100,000 people had fled Tehran in the first two days of the war. Israeli forces also advanced into south Lebanon amid escalating hostilities with Hezbollah.
The attack raised legal questions, with former US officials and experts pointing out that the warship was not engaged in open hostilities. Wes Bryant, a former US air force targeting expert, said the strike was illegal, asking: "Was that warship actively posing a threat or participating in hostilities? You cannot say that this warship was an imminent threat to anyone." The Trump administration has maintained that its aim is to eliminate all of Iran's military and political leadership.
